Malawi school kids march against President Banda

Business came to a standstill in the central business district of commercial capital Blantyre Thursday morning when school kids from different primary schools in the city took to the streets singing anti- Joyce Banda songs.

Clad in their school uniforms, the children were running in the streets causing traffic jam while singing that ‘Mayi achoke!’ and ‘tikhoza bwanji mayeso tisakuphunzira’.

It was so embarrassing especially to members of the ruling elite when the kids took the road to Sanjika Palace, just minutes after President Joyce Banda left the country for Equitorial Gunea for a summit.

People stood arms akimbo and mouth agape as they watched the kids pull down tree branches and others lying tummies flat on the road causing vehicles to stop.

Pupils on their way to Sanjika Palace chanting anti-government songs….Photo Jeromy Kadewere

Police in full riot gear were seen coming from Mount Soche Hotel looking for the kids, who by this time had already taken the route to Sanjika Palace and they were jeered by on lookers.

“Do they want to teargas these little kids honestly? This is very embarrassing because you cannot say that these kids have been sent by politicians to demonstrate. I wonder how these Policemen will handle this situation,” wondered one onlooker.

“The sad thing is that the President has left the country without sorting out this mess. If kids like this are demonstrating against you, just know that things are not going on well. This is very embarrassing!” added another on looker.

Surprisingly vendors and other older people did not join in the demonstrations, probably flabbergasted that even kids are aware that all is not well in the country.

Civil servants which include teachers are staging a strike demanding better pay and good working conditions.

In Lilongwe , Police has to use teargas to disperse the pupil who took to the streets.

And on Wednesday the irate pupils stoned school buildings belonging to the President Banda Foundation in protest against public teachers’ boycott of classes.

The police had to intervene and block gates as pupils from Chimwankhunda and Zingwangwa primary schools stoned Joyce Banda Foundation School buildings, chanting that they wanted equal education in public and private schools.

Teachers in public schools in Malawi joined the civil servants strike on Monday, demanding a 67 percent pay hike.

According to a group of pupils, who were protesting, their teachers abandoned classes almost a week ago and they are tired of not learning.